THE HUNGER GAMES

This film adaptation throws a big question in front of the, uh, hungry hordes of fans of the bestselling Suzanne Collins post-apocalyptic trilogy in which twelve young tributes are pitted against each other in a macabre, sci-fi human safari. Are the odds in the fans’ favour?

With The Hunger Games being co-written and co-produced by Collins herself, things were certainly looking up – and with surprisingly gritty, heartfelt direction from popcorn veteran Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Big), it gets dangerously close to a bullseye. Babyfaced Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) makes for a convincing Katniss Everdeen, while Josh Hutcherson pulls off a pretty charming love interest Peeta despite his Tom Cruise Shortman Syndrome. Supports from Elizabeth Banks (a purse-mouthed Effie Trinket) and Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy) round out the rest of the cast-by-numbers.

In fact the film’s only real flaw is that it is perhaps too literal – the life-devouring addictiveness of the book is lost a little in the blow-by-blow realism. Nonetheless, it’s a satisfying entree into what is no doubt going to be our next Twilight phenomenon… and definitely will leave fans hankering for more. (AB) ***1/2